Carson Daly Replaced as NBC’s New Year’s Eve Special Host

NBC has given Carson Daly the boot when it comes to his gig as New Year’s Eve host after nearly two decades. Instead Miley Cyrus and SNL cast member Pete Davidson will host a special live from Miami, Florida. Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels will produce. Musical performers include Brandi Carlile, Billie Joe Armstrong, Saweetie, Jack Harlow, 24kGoldn, Anitta and Kitty Ca$h.

Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party Hosted by Miley Cyrus and Pete Davidson will begin on Friday, Dec. 31 at 10:30 p.m. ET and end a half-hour into the new year. The show will also be live-streamed on NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming platform. There will be several “special guests and musical performances” sprinkled throughout the night.

“In what is sure to be an exciting and fun evening, we are looking forward to partnering with Lorne Michaels and ringing in 2022 with a night of incredible entertainment, led by Miley and Pete,” Jen Neal, Executive Vice President, Live Events, Specials and E! News, NBCUniversal, said in a statement. Michaels, Cyrus, and Lindsay Shookus are executive producers on the show. It will be produced by Den of Thieves with Executive Producers Jesse Ignjatovic, Evan Prager and Barb Bialkowski, and Hopetown Entertainment, the company run by Cyrus and her mom Tish Cyrus. Joe DeMaio is directing.

Daly, who is also a Today Show co-anchor, had been hosting NBC’s New Year’s Eve special since 2004, save for 2017 when an NFL broadcast pre-empted the show. Rumors that Cyrus would be taking over the New Year’s Eve broadcast from Daly began in late September when sources told Vulture the new project was in the works. It is a big gamble from NBC, which is hoping to take some viewers away from the top-rated ABC broadcast, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest.

Cyrus has been one of the most frequent guests on SNL in recent years. She made her most recent appearance in May as the musical guest. She also performed during the 40th anniversary special in 2015. She hosted the show in 2011 and served as both musical guest and host in 2013 and 2015. Her other hosting gigs came in 2017, 2018, and 2020. As for Davidson, he joined the SNL cast in 2014 and was promoted to repertory player in 2016.